classicfirebird1979

M
Morrilton, ArkansasUnited States

1971 Chevrolet Nova

“Dream Car”

1979 Pontiac Trans Am Y84 with WS6 package

“Y84 Bandit #2”

Head to Head

About “Dream Car”

I call this "The Dream Car" because I've owned this car since '86. It started out as a big project but as I dug deeper into it, it turned into a major project. I bought it from an old friend of mine. He left it in the care of his cousin when he went in the Army. His cousin trashed it! The engine was blown up, the trans was locked between gears, the rear tires had no tread left on them (one had cords hanging out) and the driver's door had been swiped forward by a passing car after the Nova broke. He kept it at his Mom's house after that. He had a debt he needed to pay off so he decided to sell it. I bought it with the promise I'd make it better than it was in the "Glory Days". I started working on it in'87 when I got my first body shop job where I could get parts at cost and had access to the shop and materials. It went pretty good at first then came to an abrupt stop when my son was born in 1990. I worked on it a little and collected parts over the years he was growing up. I got myself side tracked and tinkered with V-8 Monzas and V-8 S-10s. I also got my son into go-kart racing and did that for a couple years. In 1999 I got my Trans Am and worked on that for a couple years. I got going pretty gung-ho on it in 2003 while I was married to my first wife. When we got divorced in '04 there was no money left in my budget for any more car work. Plans kept building in my head though! I've had it so long and bragged it up so much that when I do this car it HAS to be right! I'm hoping to get back to work on it real soon.

About “Y84 Bandit #2”

A friend called me about this car he had started to restore a few years ago. He told me he was ready to sell it as other priorities had come up. It really wasn't a good time for me to purchace another car, but he was eager to sell it. He wanted me to have it as he knew he would see it restored and not parted out. After seeing how far he had already come and how much he had spent on gathering parts (mostly NOS parts) we settled on a price. He had already removed the frame,media blasted and painted the undercarriage, installed new body bushings and replaced one partial floor pan, replaced all fuel and brake lines and all brake parts with new. The dash is in perfect condition, interior parts have all been cleaned or replaced (not installed yet).The car has no rust and is about ready to paint ,It is PHS documented,Y84 SE, WS6 it has the original build sheet . It is a WS6 four wheel disk brake car. He also replaced shocks and bushings (polyurathane) you name it he got for the car. To keep my wife happy I had to agree to sell ONE of my other cars ( which I did ! ) It's the car in the foreground and they are completely restoring it ! (see below)http://www.re...?fdid=1484722
E-mail me if you need any second Gen T/A parts.

Specs for “Dream Car”

The 350 I built for my Monza and later used in my S-10. Strong engine!
Rear end is a Chevelle 3.73 posi 12 bolt.
'76 Corvette TH350 or one of my Saginaw transmissions (2 three speed or 2 four speeds)

Specs for “Y84 Bandit #2”

T/A 6.6 with WS6 package and is a true Y84 SE car.
The original engine block was cracked but the previous owner purchaced a year correct block as a replacement..but I am using a fresh rebuilt Pontiac T/A 400 motor that was out of a car we built for my son that soon after got crushed by a tree.

Factory Options for “Dream Car”

Car was made from 2 car grafted together. Front half (according to VIN tag) was a 6 cylider, automatic. The rear half(according to cowl tag) was a V-8, stick shift, posi rear end.
It was equipped with black interior, bucket seats, center console (no gages) no A/C .
Hints in the rear section of car indicate SS badging and rear panel plate between tail lights (holes filled in) which I have a replacement for. Hood had grills like SS. It also had chrome trim around side windows which is another hint at SS status. I have the fender "gills" that came off a '70 parts car I had.

Factory Options for “Y84 Bandit #2”

Mods for “Dream Car”

I want to keep the body as stock as possible and make the drivetrain strong, yet drivable and reliable. All still in the planning stage, but I do know I'm going to get started on it (again) soon. Hopefully I can finish it on this attempt! I hope to drive it to my 30 year high school class reunion and let Michelle drive it to her class reunion both this year.

Mods for “Y84 Bandit #2”

I have installed a pontiac T/A 400 motor, bored .30 over recent rebuild. Gas-a-just shocks, all new suspension parts with new polyurethane bushing kit. New control arm bushings, New fuel and brake lines.